A wave of terror swept through Niger State in the early hours of Friday as heavily armed men stormed St. Mary Primary and Secondary School, a Catholic mission institution in Papiri Ward, Agwara Local Government Area, abducting a still-uncertain number of students and staff—believed to be well over 100.
The attackers descended on the 50-year-old school at about 3:00 a.m., according to community sources, after first sealing off the surrounding area. Witnesses said the gunmen fired volleys of shots into the air to sow panic before breaking into the hostels, where they herded students into two waiting Mitsubishi Canter trucks.
“In their usual manner, they shot sporadically into the air to scare everybody away when they arrived,” a resident recounted.
The incident occurred barely two weeks after gunmen ambushed the convoy of Hon. Jafaru Mohammed Ali, the federal lawmaker representing Agwara/Borgu, killing six soldiers in the same axis.
Local officials say the attack took place between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., in a region bordering the Borgu area and close to a notorious terrorist enclave around the Kainji Dam. The Head of Department, Disaster and Relief for Agwara LGA, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the raid by phone, stressing that authorities were still trying to determine the full number of abducted students and staff.
The Catholic Church, which oversees the school, also confirmed the incident but said it would release an official statement later in the day. “Yes, it is true, but I am not in a position to give details. The church will issue an official statement later,” a church official said.
POLICE, MILITARY FLOOD AREA
The Niger State Police Command has acknowledged the abduction. Police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun said a distress report was received at about 2:00 a.m., alerting authorities that armed bandits had invaded St. Mary’s and taken “a yet-to-be-ascertained number of students” from the hostel.
He added that police tactical squads, military units, and other security agencies had launched a coordinated search operation in the forests surrounding the community. Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, vowed that security operatives were committed to rescuing the victims unharmed and urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with authorities.
The Command also noted that the school could face sanctions for continuing academic activities despite a state directive closing schools in high-risk areas due to escalating threats.
REGION ON EDGE AS SCHOOL ATTACKS SPREAD
The Papiri abduction deepens mounting fears over school safety across Nigeria’s northwest. Just days ago, 25 students were kidnapped in Maga, Kebbi State. On Thursday, more than 50 schools were abruptly shut down in Kwara State following a surge of bandit activities.
The worsening situation has prompted urgent action at the federal level. President Bola Tinubu cancelled planned trips to South Africa and Angola to coordinate the national response to spiraling insecurity.
As of press time, casualties from the St. Mary’s attack remain unknown, and anxious families continue to await updates as security forces intensify the hunt for the abductors and their victims.
